A flood of sorrow and solidarity filled St. Anthony’s Church in Renton where friends, family, and community members gathered to honor the life of Reyna Hernandez, who was found dead in Mexicali, Mexico. The prayer service held marked the conclusion of a 'novenario,' a nine-day mourning period often observed in Latin American cultures. Hernandez, a cherished local hairdresser, vanished almost a month ago, with Mexican authorities confirming her demise after discovering her body in a cemetery, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle.
Wednesday night mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church became a canvas of memories as the Renton community came together, some wearing T-shirts bearing Hernandez's face, to pay their respects. With evidence suggesting foul play, Hernandez's case turned from a missing person to a homicide investigation, leading to the arrest of a 61-year-old man, who was long considered her partner, revealed KOMO News. Mexican authorities apprehended the suspect on unrelated charges.
Originally reported missing in Renton after failing to return home from errands, Hernandez’s disappearance quickly mutated into an international case. Her body, first uncovered by Mexican authorities at the beginning of March, was later identified by Renton police who connected her to an unidentified body found along the Tijuana Highway.
During an emotional interview outside of the church, Reyna’s sister, Ivonne Carrillo-Hernandez, shared with KOMO News, "She didn’t deserve to die like this." Confirming that Hernandez's body will be brought back to the U.S. for a local autopsy, Carrillo-Hernandez's timelines for the repatriation were unclear, caught in the midst of grief and seeking answers for a senseless tragedy that echoed beyond the confines of a single faith's walls.
